Engraving-machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. B. BLAIR.

Engraving Machine.

Patented May 24, 1853.

2 Sheet sSheet 2. J. B. BLAIR.

Engraving Machine.

Patented- May 24, 1853.

UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. BLAIR, OF ALTON, ILLINOIS.

ENGRAVING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 9,743, dated May 24, 1853.

To all whom 2'16 may concern:

Be it known that I, JNO. B. BLAIR, of Alton, in the county of Madisonand State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Machine forEngraving; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the construction and operation of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisspecification, in which Figure 1, is a side elevation, Fig. 2, anelevation of the front end, Fig. 3, a plan of the machine, Fig. 1, sideelevation, opposite to that of Fig. 1, exhibiting such gearing as arenot shown in the other figures, Fig. 5 an enlarged face view of thecarriage and gearing having the needle attached, Fig. 6, side elevationof pedal, Fig. 7, a view of the cam wheel used in connection with theneedle shaft, not shown distinctly in the other figures.

The nature of my invention consists in the arrangement of a machine soas to be capable of performing the work of a graver or other tool, toproduce either mezzotint or other engraving with a greater uniformityand regularity than that at present done by hand, the construction ofwhich is as follows:

Upon a frame or table A, I place a carriage B, having ways a, upon whichit moves lengthwise of the machine. Attached to this are boxes Z), inwhich a shaft, of a crank form works, connecting tothis shaft, twoupright arms are raised, with boxes 0 set on their upper extremitiesinthese boxes, another shaft works, operated by a pulley F. Upon thisshaft a box or collar slides, carrying two wheels G, H; that of G isprovided with a number of projections or heaters d on its outer edge,and the edge of that of H is scalloped or waved, (see Fig. 7) so as toproduce certain movements,when in operation, in the needle. Extendingforward and from the lower portion of one of the upright arms, alreadynamed, an arm I is arranged, having an adjusting screw 6 and a spring facting upon it, the spring beingsecured to the bottom of the carriage B.(See Fig. 7.) Near the extreme of one end of the carriage B a draftpulley K is fastened, on the inside a recoil spring is arranged, fromthis pulley a cord g runs, and is made fast to the end of anothercarriage O immediately above the other, having a transverse motion tothe carriage beneath, sliding on ways h, making part of the carriage B.From the other end of the carriage C, another cord 2' extends, passingover a small conducting roller 3', and then down, and on a cone wheel Non a line shaft E upon which it winds. Attached to the carriage B, andnear the small pulley j a bent bar L passes down and under the table A,and at the end is made large, with a hole bored through and a femalescrew formed, this works on a large shaft or screw M placed centrallyand lengthwise to the machine. Forward, and on the shaft M a suitableratchet wheel 31 is secured. Fixed loosely on the shaft and against theratchet wheel, a dial wheel S with a pawl to work on the ratchet isplaced. This dial wheel, has a number of holes properly arranged on itsface (see Fig. 2) into which a catch bar 32 falls. The holes are placedconcentric on the surfacein eight or more lines all revolving around thecommon center of the dial wheel. The largest of these concentrics hasseventeen holes and the smallest only two, the rest are graduatedaccording to these two lines; marking the extremes, the purpose of whichwill be shown hereafter. This catch has a hand piece connected, as at T"so that by applying a slight pressure at one end, the opposite end israised, or the catch 32 is drawn from the holes on the face of the dialwheel, or placed in other holes. A crank 33 is also placed on the end ofthe shaft, in front of the wheel, and by turning in the directionopposite tothat indicated by the arrow the carriage B is advanced towardthe front, the pawl gliding over the ratchet, but if turned in acontrary way, the pawl catches into the ratchet wheel and turns the dialwheel and runs the carriage back, the distance being shown by the catchbar 32 infalling into the holes described. As an example, the bar 32 (asseen in Fig. 2) being placed in the larger concentric line would give ona complete turn of the dial wheel, seventeen intervals between linesmade by the needle, and in the space passed over by the carriage B.Passing down from the same place as the bar L, a bar Z connect-s thecone wheel N, so that as the carriage B advances or is drawn back, thecone wheel will make the same movements on theshaft E. On the other enda similar bar 0, projects down, and moves in like manner a large wheel0, also a bent arm m passes out horizontally, from the same place asthat of 0 and carries a small conducting roller n. The large wheel 0moves on a shaft D similar to that of E. Around this, up and over thepulley F and the small roller n a band 79 is placed.

The carriage C has two butts g on its face, through which set screwspass, and sustain a shaft 1", at each end of which two lips or camsproject, as s, (seen more dis tinctly in Fig. 5) against which asemi-circular piece P rests and connects with frame Q on the carriage C,by means of a strip of spring metal, at the lower edge of this contrivance a shaft R is inserted, and sustained as in the other case. Fromthis shaft an arm S holding the needle 23 passes out, and over a copperplate B on which it is intended to operate, opposite to this arm,another T passes forward from the same shaft, and reaches just below andnear the wheel G, so that as the wheel G revolves, the projections clarranged on its periphery will come in contact with the arm T and beatit down, and raise the needle, Between these arms, a small lip 20 israised on their shaft, on which a spring '0 presses, so that as theneedle arm is raised by the action of the wheel G this spring will serveto force it down or back to its original position. Raised from the shaft1" a long arm or lever y, (adjusted by a screw a, passing through astanchion U on the carriage C) is intended to be acted upon by the camwheel H. From the carriage C and onto the collar carrying the wheels Gand H, so that there will be uniformity in the movements of the collarand carriage, a bar 1 is used. Also attached to the collar is a rod 00that connects with an arm w on the arm T, to keep the needle from theplate.

The stanchion U has at its bottom, a part projecting forward, to which,when required a pantograph is joined, as at 2. This pantograph Vconsists of four arms 3, 4t, 5, 6 with joints and bands attached asshown in the drawings. In the arms 3 and i, sliding arms 7 and 8 areinserted, and secured by screws 9 and 10; that of 7 connects with thecarriage C at 2, and that of 8 carries a tracing point 11. The wholeresting upon the fulcrum WV. Thus arranged the pantograph is capable ofexecuting any work common to instruments of its character, in connectionwith the machine.

Below the arm I, a long bar C, (upon which the arm rests,) is placed,having a lever D and short arm 12 joined, having centers of motion atthe points 13 and 14 and held back by a spring attached on the undersideof the bar C and to the side of the frame of the machine, so that on theraising or lowering of the lever D (the cen ters 13, and 14 being ashort distance beneath the junctions of the bar, short arm and lever)the bar C can also be raised or lowered, turning down horizontally or upabout these two centers. From the lever D a strong cord 15 passes to andaround a pulley G, and is attached to a sliding box H, that moves on abar I the upright, or arm of which is seen at 16 in Fig. 7 the barproper is immediately behind the axle D. From this box, and from thesame point as before named, another strong cord 17 passes up, and over apulley J down and on to a pedal K see Fig. 6, at 18, which is secured tothe floor or the frame. At the opposite side of the box H another cord,as 19 is attached which passes over another pulley L and connects thepedal, at 19. By the operator pressing his foot down on either of thepoints as 18 or 19 of the pedal, it will be seen that the box will moveaccordingly. From the center of the box H rises a flat plate M, with aslot 20 cut therein, in which a small screw 34 is placed running intothe frame of the machine, the whole supported by a screw 21. v On eitherside of this slot, small prickers 22 are placed, eight or more innumber, for the purpose, when the hand of the operator is over orresting upon the small screw 34 he will be made aware of the exact movesof the box H through the action of the prickers named on the surface ofthe hand. Also from the center of this box a horizontal bar 23 passes,and connects with a wheel E on the shaft D, which partakes of the samemovements as that given to the box.

The wheel E has pressing against its circumference a wheel F having aflat, disk surface, so as to allow the wheel E a free movement over itsface, when moved by the action of the box H. The wheel F is supported inplace, by a shaft running crosswise of the machine (see N, Fig. 2.)

At 24 the shaft is provided with a strong spring, which serves to keepthe disk whee], hard on the wheel E. On this shaft also a pulley O ismade fast, and also a screw P and crank 25. Over the screw P a toothedwheel 26 moves on the shaft E and as in the drawing gears with the screwP. The toothed wheel is moved by a bar 27 which connects with a lever,that passes transversely of the machine, having its handle at 29 andfulcrum at 28, and by pulling the levers forward, the toothed wheel 26will gear with a screw Q similar to the first named, back of which apulley R is fixed, with a cord or band 80 passing to the other pulley 0.Thus by moving the toothed wheel either way it gears either in the upperor lower screws and turning the crank 1n one way, the shaft E can beturned either to the rlght or left.

Having thus described the construction of my engraving machme, which maydiffer however, by a few modifications or the substitution of othermechanical devices, so as to obtain substantially the same results, Ishall proceed to describe the operation of the same.

In shade of a light character, first place the carriages B and C inposition over the plate B; second, press the side of the pedal, 18,slowly downthis side as before stated connects by means of the cord 17with the box II, consequently the box is moved for ward, also moving theslide scale h and the wheel E nearer the center of the wheel F, whichmovable parts are all connected and by cords and otherwise attached tothis box H. The cord 15 also attached at the same part necessarilyslacks off or gives way, over the pulley G, which slack it taken up bythe raising of the lever D, by means of the spring placed so as to acton its upper end and above its fulcrum or center 13. This movement willnecessarily lower the bar C which is hinged or jointed with lever D asbefore noticed, and this in its turn lowers the outer end of thesupporting arm I of the frame having the two wheels G and H, and thisframe having its hearings in the boxes 6, b will be brought forward anddown, according to the amount of depression of the bar C. The wheels Grand H being thus brought forward are more or less rendered inactive onthe parts on which they operate. action on the arm T of the needle barsshaft R can be very slight (its strokes) and the needle will work on thecopper plate accordingly. If the wheel was brought hard on the arm T,the needle would make deeper indentations on the plate B. In like mannerthe wheel H is rendered more or less effective when it is in operation,which is only when the indentations are to be of a scattered nature, ofwhich further explanation is to be made. The hand of the operator havingduring the pressing down of the pedal before noticed, been resting onthe small screen 34. he is 'madeaware of what degree of shade themachine will make at the time, or he is enabled by so continuing hishand on this screw to make any graduation necessary in the shade to bemade on the copper plate, by the movement of the prickers 22 of thescale I on the surface of his hand. Having got the required shade, gearthe toothed wheel 26 in with the screw or worm wheel Q, commence turningthe crank 25. This gives motion to the wheel F and this to the wheel Eand the shaft 1), from which motion is given to the wheels G and H bymeans of the pulleys O and F, and the needle t commences its work on theplate B, caused bythe revolutions of the wheel G, carrying the beaterscl, (Z, that strike on the outer end of the tail arm T of the needleshaft.

The toothed wheel 26 in revolving turns Thus with the wheel G, its.

the shaft E and with it the cam wheel, N, to which the carriage C isconnected, and is thus drawn across the machine, the cord 2' being inthe larger turn of the wheel, in case the shade is of a very lightcharacter, so that the carriage C would move rapidly over the plate Band allow the needle to make a very few indentations. The line thuswould be a'line of dots, finely made by the needle, and with a goodinterval between them, and in a direct or right line. Again by the wheelE being drawn near the center of the wheel F, so will the action of thewheel E be much slower. Consequently the strokes of the needle will bevery few in crossing the plate B. This arrangement is sufiicient for allpurposes and dispenses with the changing of the cord around the conewheel N, which may be employed according to the style of the engravings,which may be of a dark or light character. In shade of a darkercharacter, the opposite course would be pursued. Thus the pedal would bepressed down on the opposite side 19, and would draw the boX H with itsdifferent attachments back by means of the cord 19 connecting at theopposite end of the box H. Consequently when the ma chine was inoperation, the wheel E would make more revolutions. The frame carryingthe wheels G and II would be brought more into action with the partsthey operate, and the needle would make a greater number of indentationsand much deeper, in the passing of the carriage C over the frame of themachine. The scale of prickers 22 on M as before indicates the degree ofshade.

The carriage (C) which has traversed across the machine; the needlehaving made one line of the length required;must now be prepared torepeat the operation. The catch 32 see Fig. 2, is placed in the line ofany of the holes on the dial wheel S according to the nature of the workto be done. Supposing the work is of a dark shade, the catch would be inthe line with some of the holes near the circumference of the dialwheel, and if for light would be nearer the center, so that on turningthe crank 33 in a direction shown by the arrow, the dial wheel wouldalso be turned, the catch 32 gliding out of one of the holes and fallinginto the next succeeding one, thereby indicating the space moved over bythe carriage B, or the amount of interval which will eXist between theline already made on the copper plate D and that which is to be made,but on turning the crank 33 in the direction opposite to that of thearrow, the carriage B would run in an opposite direction, that is,toward the forward part of the machine, the dial wheel re mainingimmovable, being held by the catch bar 32, its pawl passing over thesurface of the ratchet wheel 31, which turns as the main shaft or centerscrew M does, being secured firmly to it, as before named. The carriageB having been advanced the required distance for the next line, and bydrawing the tooth wheel 26 out of gear and clear of the two screws orworm wheels P Q/ will allow the carriage C to be drawn suddenly back bymeans of the recoil spring pulley K, placed at the opposite end of thecarriage, and be ready to execute the next line or second one, whichwould be parallel to the first, or by gearing the toothed wheel 26 intothe worm or screw wheel P and continue turning the crank 25 in the samedirection as previously done, the carriage C will return at the samerate of speed back over the plate B and will also make a similar line tothe first. The lines thus far made are of a light, or shaded character,consisting of indentations or regular dots in a straight line, which maybe drawn closer together and deeper for shade, or may be placed fartherapart and the indentations on the copper plate of a slight depth forlight. Lower the arm y so that it will rest against the fluted surfaceof the wheel H by unscrewing the set screws 2; then the action of thearm will be to and fro, causing the lips or cams s of the arms shaft 1"to turn so as to force the needles shaft 0" out and back, a line made bythis arrangement, with the carriage C in motion, would be of a scatterednature, thus assuming any line, directly across the plate, theindentations made by the striking of the needle, would be first on oneside and then on another of this assumed or imaginary line and socontinuing until the operation was completed. Displace the attachment ofthe rod :0 and arm 10 and the needle shaft will turn so as to allow thepoint of the needle to come directly on the plate B, and clear the tailarm T of the wheel G by throwing the wheels frame a lit tle forward, andan unbroken line will be made on the plate, tightening the set screw 36so as to force the spring 1) hard against the lip or hit u of the needleshaft R, and the needles point will be forced deeper into the plate. Thenumber of lines thus far made, are sufficient for any line engraving.Thus the first is in this manner made composed of dots the second, z;the third, Each one being heavily or lightly made.

Thus far as has been fully seen, any number of lines may be placed bythe crossing of the carriage C, parallel with each other running fromone side of the machine to the other, or left to right. Now by turningthe crank 33 rapidly, having placed the carriage C with the needle inposition, one line may be made at right angles to those alreadydescribed, move the carriage C and repeat the operation of turning thecrank, and another line will be made, (the crank turning the screw M andthat moving the lower carriage B.) Now we have lines thus far which runfrom left to right and from the top to the bottom of the plate B bymeans of the two carriages C, B, one having a motion at right angles tothe other. /Turn the last named crank 83 and the main one 25 regularlytogether, and the consequence will be, that the indentations of theneedle will be in diagonal lines. Temper the revolutions of these twocranks 33 and 25 and the indentations or marks of the needle Will beboth diagonal and curving in proportion to the comparative extent ofmotion of each carriage. (The cranks of course having direct influenceon the carriages B and C.) Remove the needle t and in its placesubstitute a blunt one or heater, and reverse the scale of prickers 22on the plate M, and place a new plate at B and commence operating themachine, and we produce a mezzotint engraving-which surface instead ofbeing composed of lines or marks ,of a sharp instrument, is beat down,so that the working of the lights and shades would be the reverse of thecourse practised in line engraving; hence the changes.

The pantograph V I sometimes find convenient to employ, making itperform the same work, but in a different manner, as those now in.common use. Thus by placing a drawing A which has to be engraved underthe tracing point 11, and putting the carriages in motion particularlythat of C to which the opposite end is attached as before described, thetracing point will continue to move across the drawing as long as thecarriage C is moving making a line parallel but opposite in direction tothe course of the carriage. Again if that of B should advance thetracing point would follow. Therefore the principles of this are butsimilar to the principles of others with but one exception. Thisexception is in the attachment of the end at 2 of the carriage C, whichin the hand pantograph would be the pencil or marking end, and byplacing the hand on the tracing point 11 and following the lines of thedesign to be copied, a duplicate would be produced by the opposite ormarking end-but this has the power applied at 2 and the tracing end 11is left free in its movements, the eXact termination of the lines in thedrawing being noted by the eye of the operator, who governs themovements of the carriages to correspond with the character of thedesign which is being thus transferred to the plate B and in like mannerthe different shades and tones of the picture are repeated on the copperplate.

In reducing or enlarging the engraving or copy, the two slides or arms 7and 8 are drawn out or moved back in their sockets 3 and 4, so as tobring the two extremes 11 and 2 inline with the fulcrum W, then as thedistance 2, W is to W 11 so will be the relative proportions of theengraving to that of the design or drawing A.

Having thus fully described the construction and operation of myimproved engraving machine, what I claim therein as new and for which Idesire to secure Letters Patent is:

1. The so combining of the needle whether sharp or blunt, with apantograph or other copying or tracing instrument, through the medium ofdouble carriages moving at right angles to each other, as that the dotsor punches of said needle may be dispersed or aggregated at pleasure,for the purpose of forming the lights or shadows-the character of thelights and shadows being indicated by a sliding scale moving before theeye or under the hand of the operator, substantially as described.

2. I also claim the combination and arrangement of the sliding box H, onthe bar I, the cords 15, 17, 19, (the first cord connecting the slidingbox with the spring lever D, and the two latter connecting the slidingboX with the pedal) and the arm 23, for the purpose of moving by meansof the pedal K, the wheel E, toward or from the center of the wheel F,on the face of which it works spring tight, to change its motion andgive to the needle a relatively changed motion, substantially asdescribed.

8. I also claim in combination with the carriage and needle the wheel Gwith its lifting pieces d, and the cam wheel H, or their equivalents,for changing the character of marks, lines, or dots upon the plate to beengraved at pleasure, and this I claim whether the same be operated inconnect-ion with the pantograph or not, substantially as described.

J. B. BLAIR.

Witnesses W. H. BAILHAGHE, HENRY G. MOPIKE,

